Aa
Can't get a deep breath / Difficulty Breathing
Hi - I've been having difficulty breathing for at least the last 9-10 years...and it's a daily thing. I am 31 years old, am healthy (exercise almost daily, eat healthily, am not overweight, do not smoke, and only drink socially), and yet I always feel like my breathing is extremely laboured. I constantly yawn to try to catch a satisfying breath. There are some periods throughout the day where it's not laboured and I feel as if I breathe normally, but then it creeps up on me and I have to start yawning again. My nose feels very clogged all the time and my chest, stomach, and back muscles feel very constricted when breathing. It's especially noticeable when I am working out...especially running and lifting weights. I have to stop every once in a while just to yawn (frustrating) to stop from getting dizzy. It's also noticeable as I am trying to go to sleep and/or when I've had a glass or 2 of wine. I was "diagnosed" with exercise-induced asthma 9-10 years ago, but I think this was a mis-diagnosis as the inhalers never work (I've tried all sorts) and they usually end up making me feel worse. After using the inhaler I always end up coughing up fluid and my breathing sounds gurgle-ly (so I don't take them any more unless I feel I really need to...note that I have never had a full blown asthma attack). I'm worried that it could be something else (was exposed to TB as a teenager, but took the "horse pills" for 6 months and was told I was fine), but none of my doctors will really listen to me. They see that I am slim and active, and they dismiss me - I live in the UK (free socialised healthcare - so not a lot of time to spend with patients). Has anyone else experienced this? I see lots of threads on here with the same topic, but they all have to do with taking medications, being overweight, being a current/past smoker, being depressed/having anxiety, etc. Please help - I'm tired of living like this. I'm worried that I could be living with something undiagnosed that could rear it's ugly head one day.
Have asthma, also suffer from hayfever, sinus, but at the moment for the last three weeks have had lumpy feeling in throat, had this in 2009 did a barium test of oesophageaus and came out clear, however was asked to take diapazem 2 mg, took it for a week felt better and stopped,
In september 2011, had the same feeling went to the doctors because also had a pain in stomach, gave me barium and contrast for scan had a allergy reaction and received cortozone, Dr did not take much notice of feeling in throat so went to another doctor who put me got me to see an ent who sent a camera and said that there is a drip to back of throat and to get scan, also mentioned that the ridge of nose is not straight bt that I already knew got scared and did not go for scan. Also had a gastrocopy did HUT which came out clear. had FBT done not cholostrol, my ESR was about 45 it was in red so asked the doctor, he said they only worry if it is 3 or more times the normal limit.
I also noticed in the last year or so where I could see like black cobwebs on and off, and had eye pressure done which was 19 in Feb 2011,
About three weeks In March 2012, ago three weeks ago , noticed that the digital clock at 1:00 am was double and so was the radio light , thought it was because I had just woken up a I haven't been sleeping too well, went to hospital, did some basic test like tapping on the funny bones asking to raise hand , read the chart for eye testing etc and then told me to go to the emergency the next mortning to get a proper check done.
When I went there was vomiting as I had a headache and when the nurse did the eye pressure it was 21-22, but by the time I saw the eye docotr who did all the test pressure had dropped to 15 and below.
Then saw the nose and throat doctr who sent a camera down and said I had polyps, but the doctor I saw in 2011, never mentioned abot polyps,( Did my scan said I have polys and cysts mainly in my left side but my right side of the nose is the worst) has anyone had this procedure done, and did you have these symptomps, I have a irritating cough on and off and try to suck on a sweet, at hospital they gave me Nasonex which seemed to block nose in the 1st hour that I inhaled it and clear up about an hour or tow later for about 5 hours, brought a nasal flo (Neti pot) worked first yime had quite a few hours relief after that did not help at all. Had to take Clamoxyl Duo forte 850mg/125mg which had amoxycillin and potassium clavunate, as well as Otrivin nasal drops 6 hourly but the box said 8-10 hrs for three days right nose only so I took two sprays just once a day, then I ffelt as if I was jumpy could not sleep as soonas I went to a deep sleep I would jump, as if from a fright. also felt like the tablet was stuck in chest and I would feel itcy here and there for no reason saw the doctor said it might be te Clomoxyl so when I took the next couple of doses noticed it was because of that and after about 3 hours the itch feeling would go away it was on my neck area and other parts of body that I fet the itichiness, Dr put me on Clarc 250 for 7 days, and had to see the doctor after 7 days he also took me off nasonex and put me on Azep Nasal spray 12 hr relief for 3 days felt relief much better than nasonex, and saw another doctor whnot my doctor, as he was away for the easter holidays Wed-Tuesday 2012, that doctor asked me to continue using the Azep but I did not as i was feeling better but on the weekend Friday felt like my nect ws goin to go into a spasm as I had this tightness feeling mainly on left side of neck and a funny feeling on face left side which came and went, by Sunday I went and got a massage to help me relax and that was aching for the next two days, so on sunday took a dose of panadol, to relieve the pain.
I feel like I can get proper breaths, my mouth is so dry at times that I feel like I cant even swallow as I mainly breath from my mouth, I get this light headded feeling manybe because I am not breathing properly , when I bend down my nose gets worse even if I get it cleard it stuffs up as soon as I bend down, working with babies dont seem to help to. the docotr said I have to get the infection fixed first before they can do an operation.
I am hardly sleeping I waslk up and down in the night , trying to inhale hot wter, drink hotwater to loosen congestion . My friend gave me a thing called sinus blend that works for her partner but hasnt helped me it has basil, peppermint and eucaluptus oild to just sniff it or inhale it, I feel like I have a lot of mucus, I used to sneeze alot but now dont even do that much, it used to drip but now it does not even drip, feel like this mucos thing thing is there stuck and need to clear throat, and if not the muscous feeling its a lumpy feeling, and since yesterday a burning sensation in upper part of chest area not sure if it was the sinus blend , the sensation is like when you suck on vicks cough drops the cooling/burning menthol feeling it leaves behind did have a cought drop yesterday not the full thing just about 1/4 of the vicks vapour drops, have had it before but it never dod anything like that previously. Please anyone with any help would be appreciated I cant even do the breathing technique closing one nostril because I just can't breathe through the right and feel like neck is swollen from the inside, Its like if your fingers are swollen you can see it as wwell as feel it when you try to bend it the heavyness that what it fells like on neck area but cant see any swelling from outside.
In september 2011, had the same feeling went to the doctors because also had a pain in stomach, gave me barium and contrast for scan had a allergy reaction and received cortozone, Dr did not take much notice of feeling in throat so went to another doctor who put me got me to see an ent who sent a camera and said that there is a drip to back of throat and to get scan, also mentioned that the ridge of nose is not straight bt that I already knew got scared and did not go for scan. Also had a gastrocopy did HUT which came out clear. had FBT done not cholostrol, my ESR was about 45 it was in red so asked the doctor, he said they only worry if it is 3 or more times the normal limit.
I also noticed in the last year or so where I could see like black cobwebs on and off, and had eye pressure done which was 19 in Feb 2011,
About three weeks In March 2012, ago three weeks ago , noticed that the digital clock at 1:00 am was double and so was the radio light , thought it was because I had just woken up a I haven't been sleeping too well, went to hospital, did some basic test like tapping on the funny bones asking to raise hand , read the chart for eye testing etc and then told me to go to the emergency the next mortning to get a proper check done.
When I went there was vomiting as I had a headache and when the nurse did the eye pressure it was 21-22, but by the time I saw the eye docotr who did all the test pressure had dropped to 15 and below.
Then saw the nose and throat doctr who sent a camera down and said I had polyps, but the doctor I saw in 2011, never mentioned abot polyps,( Did my scan said I have polys and cysts mainly in my left side but my right side of the nose is the worst) has anyone had this procedure done, and did you have these symptomps, I have a irritating cough on and off and try to suck on a sweet, at hospital they gave me Nasonex which seemed to block nose in the 1st hour that I inhaled it and clear up about an hour or tow later for about 5 hours, brought a nasal flo (Neti pot) worked first yime had quite a few hours relief after that did not help at all. Had to take Clamoxyl Duo forte 850mg/125mg which had amoxycillin and potassium clavunate, as well as Otrivin nasal drops 6 hourly but the box said 8-10 hrs for three days right nose only so I took two sprays just once a day, then I ffelt as if I was jumpy could not sleep as soonas I went to a deep sleep I would jump, as if from a fright. also felt like the tablet was stuck in chest and I would feel itcy here and there for no reason saw the doctor said it might be te Clomoxyl so when I took the next couple of doses noticed it was because of that and after about 3 hours the itch feeling would go away it was on my neck area and other parts of body that I fet the itichiness, Dr put me on Clarc 250 for 7 days, and had to see the doctor after 7 days he also took me off nasonex and put me on Azep Nasal spray 12 hr relief for 3 days felt relief much better than nasonex, and saw another doctor whnot my doctor, as he was away for the easter holidays Wed-Tuesday 2012, that doctor asked me to continue using the Azep but I did not as i was feeling better but on the weekend Friday felt like my nect ws goin to go into a spasm as I had this tightness feeling mainly on left side of neck and a funny feeling on face left side which came and went, by Sunday I went and got a massage to help me relax and that was aching for the next two days, so on sunday took a dose of panadol, to relieve the pain.
I feel like I can get proper breaths, my mouth is so dry at times that I feel like I cant even swallow as I mainly breath from my mouth, I get this light headded feeling manybe because I am not breathing properly , when I bend down my nose gets worse even if I get it cleard it stuffs up as soon as I bend down, working with babies dont seem to help to. the docotr said I have to get the infection fixed first before they can do an operation.
I am hardly sleeping I waslk up and down in the night , trying to inhale hot wter, drink hotwater to loosen congestion . My friend gave me a thing called sinus blend that works for her partner but hasnt helped me it has basil, peppermint and eucaluptus oild to just sniff it or inhale it, I feel like I have a lot of mucus, I used to sneeze alot but now dont even do that much, it used to drip but now it does not even drip, feel like this mucos thing thing is there stuck and need to clear throat, and if not the muscous feeling its a lumpy feeling, and since yesterday a burning sensation in upper part of chest area not sure if it was the sinus blend , the sensation is like when you suck on vicks cough drops the cooling/burning menthol feeling it leaves behind did have a cought drop yesterday not the full thing just about 1/4 of the vicks vapour drops, have had it before but it never dod anything like that previously. Please anyone with any help would be appreciated I cant even do the breathing technique closing one nostril because I just can't breathe through the right and feel like neck is swollen from the inside, Its like if your fingers are swollen you can see it as wwell as feel it when you try to bend it the heavyness that what it fells like on neck area but cant see any swelling from outside.
I have been going crazy for the past 2 months with this whole breathing issue. I have been to every doctor for every test and still not any further with what this might be .Anxiety!!!!!! is what they all start out by saying!!!!! But heres the thing, I have anxiety medication, and guess what it doesn't help!!!!! EKG, Cardiogram, lung x-rays, breathing test, blood work, back x-rays, abdomen sonograms, I have been put on 2 different inhalers and still no change. I too can not get that deep breath, it seems like it just locks up and won't allow anymore air into your lungs. I have to force myself to yawn in order to get that deep breath, and sometimes that doesn't even work. When I came accross this web site I could not believe how many people have the same symptoms I have. I'm sorry that we are all going through this but happy at the same time to find out that I'm not alone. or crazy! I will check into some of the things some people have posted in hopes that they are right. I wish you all well and hope that we can find a way to to relieve our issues.
Just to address your last comment, I have been on anti-depressants for almost 20 years -- prozac most of the time, a combination of Prozac and wellbutrin both and, now, primarily wellbutrin. I don't know how it will work for you but I have found that the prozac was most effective for the anxiety and the wellbutrin works best for depression (at least for me).
I have been suffering from this problem off a d on for 3 years now. I have thyroid disease that has been bouncing all over the place from hypo to hyper range and they can't seem to maintain it. They tell me that it's a symptom of that. Idk if any of u have thyroid problems but I have been rushed to the hospital several times because of lack of O2 and each time they send me away with the diagnosis of a panic attack. But it wakes me up in the middle of the night can come on when watching a simple funny/romantic movie. It also cOmes on when I am exercising. I exercise about 3-4 days a week for approx 1.5 hours. So I would consider myself in decent shape. I'm 28, 5'4'' and weight 110 lbs. My point is its not when something stressful happens. My symptoms seem to worsen at night when my body slows down however I have my episodes where they are worse during the day for no apparent reason. It's quite embarrassing when I have to stop walking and try and yawn holding my mouth open hoping for a full yawn and can't get it to come. I have to try several times before I am finally able to get a full yawn and am okay for a few minutes or so and then feel I have to try an take another full breath. My dr prescribed me Xanax which calms down my feeling like I'm gonna die from not breathing but it doesn't cure my ability to breath, the way i would feel is the right breathing. I cut out all caffeine, tea, coffee, soda. However I drink a lot of vitamin zero and from someone's earlier post it sounds as though artificial sweeteners may contribute to this. I use splenda products a lot and I googled side affects of spenda and they are mind boggling. One being shortness of breath. I think my next step is to eliminate artificial sweeteners. I guess only water for me from now on. We will see if that helps. If that works I'll post again about my success. Until then I hope someone comes up w some sort of answer. It's so frustrating to not feel like you can breath and not know if u should rush to the hospital as breathing is obviously a crucial part of sustaining life. Also rushing to er to be told its a panic attack is a waste of money and I'm tired of hearing that when I know that's not what it is. Good luck everyone.
I have had breathing issues since February. Can't take a deep breath, panic, yawn, and so on. Been to a gastro doctor and had barium swallow, upper GI, stomach emptying, and thyroid scan. Testing did show some reflux, but no medicine is working. I've lost lotsof weight because I am scared to eat as the breathing gets worse. The breathing is getting worse. It has completely consumed my life. I cannot function day to say. I have a hard time believing it's anxiety and hyperventilation. I am at the end of my rope and don't kow how to move past this and accept it as part of my life. I still feel like it's physical, but don't know what to do next. Can anyone help?
The pranayam described in my post of Oct 11, 2011 will help you with the breathing problem. You do it yourself, twice a day, and notice the improvement in your breathing.Let me know how you feel after 21 days, and your feedback will help others.Start now.Also do the anulom vilom when you are trying to get to sleep.
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